This Grand Mesa laminate has an authentic handscraped look

Laminate flooring manufacturers have made great strides in recent years. Laminate has always been an inexpensive alternative to hardwood, but recently the level of quality, style selection and durability have increased dramatically. 

You can still get a very basic laminate that is quite functional for less than a dollar a square foot. But now there are various steps upward from that starting point that offer unique characteristcs.

My favorite laminate is called Grand Mesa. Unlike most laminates, it comes as a single plank per piece. So each plank has bevelled edges and this gives it the appearance of a real hardwood. Additionally it has a slight handscraped effect and it is wire brushed so it even feels more like natural wood.  It's also 12.3 mm thick which gives it a nice solidity. This laminate looks great down, and we've even been putting it into some new homes lately.  At $1.85 a square foot, it's still a very inexpensive option for your home.

One overlooked aspect of buying laminate is the underlayment, or foam pad. It's really not worth it to get the cheapest product available. Your floors will have a hollow, artificial sound when you walk on them. We mainly use a product called Floor Muffler. It is a dense foam and when it's under the laminate it has a superior sound deadening effect. It also has better insulating properties.

Another reason people choose laminate over hardwood is the installation savings. If you choose to have your laminate professsionally installed it will be cheaper than hardwood installation would be. Or you can choose to install it yourself as it really is quite simple to do.